Friday, July 24, 2015

Need a quickie dessert for the weekend that will disappear before the Monday diet begins again? lol

I was in my kitchen yesterday thinking I really should bake something but not in the mood for the usual chocolate chip whatever when I had a flash of brilliance. Why not use the strawberries in the fridge for something besides pie (as easy as it is, I'm not a huge fan of crust making) but for something quick and yummy that I don't normally make?

Delights are quick and easy but that center part in all of it's sugary glory is always somewhat of a downer. So I had the idea to try it with an extra block cream cheese and dry instant white chocolate pudding. Still a far cry from healthy but not super sweet like usual. It was delicious and yes they, notice I said THEY, ate most of it for supper! Okaay! I had some too, because the cook always needs to taste new things, right? but in this case I could have avoided it because it tasted just like I thought it would. Not real sweet. Delicious. And like strawberries. Ha!

First of all it's handy when you keep this concoction in your cupboard in a glass jar:

1 cup clear jel, (cook type)

2 cups sugar

2 pkg. strawberry Kool-Aid

Mix together and store in an airtight container.

When ready to use mix ¾ cup dry mix and 2 cups water. Cook over medium heat until it thickens, stirring constantly.

Mix one recipe of this and set aside to cool.

In a 9 X 13 Pyrex pan mix

1-1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter

until evenly crumbly. Just spread it evenly in the pan, but don't press it in. Bake @350 degrees for 20 min or till edges begin to brown. Remove and fluff with a fork, again spreading evenly without pressing it into the pan. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a Kitchen Aid mixer bowl mix

16 oz. cream cheese

1 box dry instant white chocolate pudding

with paddle attachment beat until nice and fluffy scraping sides as needed. Add

12 oz. Cool Whip

Spread over cooled crust.

Wash/clean/cut 2 lbs. strawberries and add to the cooled strawberry Danish. Spread on top of cream cheese mixture.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

We are coming up on two months since our move from PA to CO. We are enjoying it very much! Lack of humidity, "rat race," (that's usually a choice btw) less traffic, (Serena and I laugh when we go to town and meet 5 vehicles on the road that leads to civilization we comment that 'it's really busy today!) peace and quiet, God's AMAZING unaltered Creation! We feel blessed to be here at this time in our lives.

Some of you have expressed an interest in 'seeing your house'. We live in a lovely house high in the mountains and we'd love to play host to you and introduce you to some real, raw beauty if you should care to visit. I guess a house parade isn't really my thing and seems unimportant and materialistic to me when you can enjoy things that truly matter like time spent with family or just Nature itself.

@ "Garden of the Gods" just FWI, those rocks are stupendously huge! Another thing that took me by surprise for some reason. And the park itself is way bigger than I imagined. They all want to go back and do the horseback tour, but after I saw where those horses have to go and the rocks they will climb I think I might hike while they ride... even if it means risking a rattler or two! Shiver!!

The edge that you see there? That's a cliff! If you ever want or need to get life, problems, or anything else in perspective come visit 'the back forty!" You will be profoundly reminded that "Nothing isimpossible for God!"

I feel that most of the time if we give up on someone or some thing it's because we ourselves lack the care we should have and/or the dedication to prayer that is needed. Or sometimes it's a struggle with unbelief. Or perhaps we know that if who/what we are praying for would change then we would need to change too. And because too often we value comfort and familiar things/lifestyles over more eternal things like souls we lull ourselves to sleep and say that doesn't look like my problem. Admit it, we've all been there or said words to that effect. I have. But friend, the Truth is, if we are not actively praying, encouraging each other, and seeking out The Solution than we are indeed a large part of the problem. God already has the solution, and most of the time all it takes is a sacrifice of pride and agreement with Him. Okay I didn't sit down here thinking to write a sermon, but I guess for what it's worth...

Awesome!

This is what greets me most mornings at 5:15 when I get up to pack lunches. I think it's a beautiful and peaceful way to be greeted by a Loving God who not only knows what the day will hold He has it planned out for our good!

The antelope babies are simply adorable, not to mention tiny! and so much fun to watch!

﻿

The men are enjoying their jobs and Serena and I are slowly but surely finding our way around to important places like the library, thrift store, :) grocery store, etc. while making new friends and meeting new faces. She has been enjoying some riding time with a new friend and someone wondered if we would be interested in boarding and riding a horse that they currently have that is taking up space at their place. YES, of course we will! :) God is Good and has provided many needs along the way and even a few wants like this!

So far we have seen lots of wild things around our house (or close to) like (I'll start small) turkeys and their babies, a beautiful grouse, lots and lots of hummingbirds (that will soon need a grocery budget of their own!) mule deer, elk, a bear and her cub (I named them Cinnamon and Licorice and for that the kids think I'm crazy, ha), and yes even a mountain lion! I can't say that I'm actually scared of these last two but it does take some getting used to to think we are sharing their mountain! Lin and I took a walk recently out our driveway and noticed ML tracks in the dried mud. The men have instructed me on how to load a gun and I think I could actually bring myself to pull the trigger if need be but so far so good. :) Oh yes 1 Large and long Bull snake and a rattlesnake that the boys were able to overpower, thankfully!! Those two things prolly freak me out more than all the rest put together!! Yuck! Methinks I need to invest in some cowgirl boots to avoid a bite from one of these critters when I go tromping through the meadows and mountains!

The amount of wildflowers were a complete surprise to me! They are literally everywhere! and lend a peaceful, softer beauty to the rugged landscape.

our budding nature photographer getting an up

close of some pretty flowers :)

She loves it outside in the sun and wind and tags along with her Dad and Brothers when they hike or work outside as much as she can.

Last but not least, there seem to be a lot of these! Thunderstorms on the mountain top sound different than they do otherwise. Love them!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you have a lovely day filled with the people and things you love!